Monday, August 21, 2017

2000

That's how many words I've written then deleted about the disgusting rally in Charlottesville, about the state of our country, about the level of division I see that feels almost cosmic in nature.

Cosmic, because how else could people see the same things so very differently? How could people tack the words "BUT" onto verifiable first-hand accounts of white supremacists with flaming torches shouting disgusting, hurtful words about African Americans and Jews? Honest to God NAZIS on US soil? How can we say, “We will never forget?” yet dismiss the significance of this kind of behavior?

I know I have friends, family members and readers who believed they were making a moral stand by voting the current administration into office. I loved you. I love you now.

Some of you voted on one issue and felt that the ends would justify the means. Maybe you didn't feel like you had a choice to make. Maybe you believed one person couldn't do that much damage.

Maybe today feels like a time to dig in, again, especially when that is the example we see from the highest levels: name-call, accept no blame, call righteous anger "Hate" and dissension "Fake News!”

Or maybe it feels like time to reflect and reverse course.

What’s going on in our country feels evil and cosmic, while on the other hand earth-bound and base.

Even though my words seem small, and they have been slow to come, the day of another cosmic event, the eclipse, seemed an appropriate time to pledge that I will not let myself get lulled into thinking any of this is okay: racism, sexual assault, hate speech, exclusion, and lying. I will speak out against it when I see it being condoned and encouraged by our leaders, and when I see it in my own sphere of influence. I will stay engaged and alert, even when it feels like my head is spinning. I will look to my own role in any of this, even if what I find is painful or ugly. I will listen to the stories and experiences of those who are hurt and in danger, rather than trying to come up with something to say myself, in order to make myself look or feel better.

23 comments:

I just deleted probably 2000 different words in response, so I totally get it. What bothers me is the justification that there were people on both sides when only one side was saying really horrible things about Jews and thinking that a response of "fake news" is a legitimate response. When you have Fox news and CNN saying the same things, you have to accept that "fake news" really just sounds like the grown up response of "I know you are but what am I?"

Bravo for speaking out on this sick subject. I am so disgusted by what happened in Charlottesville. I will continue to speak out and I will never be ok with racism or Nazi's. I can't believe we are seeing this in 2017. -- Theresa

So well stated Anna! I wish I had your way with words.I had a facebook "friend" go on a rant about how "the media started a race war".She also wanted to see only family and pet pictures on facebook so she was going to block everyone who was commenting on politics because it was stressing her out!! I wish now that I had called her out (she is my nephew's new wife)! I don't know what it is going to take for the Trump supporters to realize that they made a very dangerous mistake! I mean for crying out loud the only thing missing was the white sheets! But let's just post pictures of kittens and puppies and pretend that America is great again. :-(

Amen, amen, amen! I wish I knew what to say to my friends on FB (a small minority) who still want to preserve their southern "heritage." I can't think of one of them who would listen to any of the information so widely provided in the last week or two about when those monuments were put up and why. I wouldn't even go to "why would you support losers who support losers?" with them. I don't know whether to unfriend them or what. I'm fairly sure that they aren't pleased with many of my posts, but none of them have said anything so far. Thank you, Anna, for being another voice with a platform saying what needs to be said.

Anna, as a very liberal West Coast Jew, thank you so much for speaking out. I got my BA in German studies 25+ years ago and studied the Nazis extensively. I cannot believe any Americans, let alone the president, would tolerate what happened in Charlottesville. It's a slap in the face to the estimated 55 million people killed in Europe by the war the Nazis started, and to all American servicemen/women whose lives were lost or forever impacted by their fight to end Nazism. Also, I would never presume to speak on behalf of African-Americans but it hurts to think of what they must have felt witnessing the white supremacists' shameful display.

To everyone who's reading this, I want to plug today's (8-22) episode of the podcast "The Daily." It's by the New York Times. They interview a young man from a neo-Nazi family (his dad founded the Stormfront website, and his godfather is David Duke.) The son has cut ties with the family and is trying to make amends. This podcast more than anything else has given me some context for what's going on. It's upsetting, but important. Hugs to everyone. This country will get through this. We are strong. Love is strong. The long arc of history bends towards justice. (MLK)

As a multiracial person (non-white), I don't see this administration as having caused any division that wasn't already exacerbated by previous administrations and especially by a particular political party that uses identity politics for political gain.

Many people like yourself, though well-intentioned (I've read your blog for a long while now, so I know you are), live far removed from the poor, far from people of color, and are not aware of what is a multifaceted problem. This is important.

This is not a defense of what happened in Virginia but of what is coming of it, which is growing support to infringe upon our 1st Amendment Rights (which I think is intentional from the powers that be). Please don't support squashing our freedom of speech, by equating "hate speech" to violence. Hate speech is protected speech (and should always be), as deemed by our Supreme Court in numerous cases. Removing "hate speech" doesn't change hearts and minds but it does remove everyone's liberty (to include those who speak the truth without hate). We don't want people to be punished for expressing whatever is on their minds. It's important that ideas, even bad ones, remain visible and out there and not be driven underground, to fester and go unchallenged. What we should encourage is more dialogue and not shut people down because we didn't like what a group of people said or think.

I find it unfortunate that those who voted their conscience in this election, as I did, based on painstaking thought, research and consideration, as a professional, white, educated, single mom to a girl, is lumped into somehow supporting neo nazis. As if our administration (for which I voted and for which I'd vote again, given the same options) and that rally are synonymous. I am against ALL forms of abuse, including that of which you speak: nonsensical abuse hurled by individuals toward certain groups of people, as well as abuse hurled by the left at the right for having the "wrong" opinion. Abuse hurled by certain religious groups toward the rest of us, causing terror as a result. I'm against all forms of abuse toward women, which is why I am a fervent and outspoken critic of certain religions. I don't usually speak out due to the extreme prejudice faced by people who voted as I did by those who believe me to be wrong. Well I vehemently disagree and I'm tired of it. I thoughtfully and prayerfully cast my vote to protect my country and my family. And I'd do it again. -Sara

Thank you, Sarah! Many of us who support our President remain silent because we know that we will be ripped to shreds with hatefilled rants. I can not possibly fathom how supporters of the POTUS and even the President himself are labeled as racist Nazis because a handful of sick people said that they supported him as well.

No one is speaking out about the terrorist group ANTIFA. The protesters, who were NOT all white supremacists and Nazis, were marching with torches and were met with the violent armed ANTIFA group and BLM members who were there for a fight. Only to fight. They had baseball bats and boards with nails in them. This is the same group that beat people bloody in Berkeley. No, no one is mentioning them. THAT is why the President said "both sides". How can anyone defend ANTIFA?

The President is constantly vilified by the media. People don't recognize this bias and hate because they support and believe what the media is telling them. People were told during the election exactly what kind of man Donald Trump is. That doesn't make it true. Everyone is always focusing on perceived wrongs instead of any good he might be doing.

This hate has always existed in our country but the truth is that hate groups are actually at low levels. Unfortunately, they are all you see every night on the news. They must be everywhere!

I just ask that you try and open your mind and try to look at the light and not always at the dark. Look at all three sides and not just one. To judge people as individuals and not lump them all together. This is exactly what everyone is saying they hate but don't see how they are doing the very same thing.

What you say shouldn't be difficult...it should be self evident. How we ended yo here - with the administration we have now - is incomprehensible to me, but we are a strong nation and we will get past this to the other side. To paraphrase Chris Rock...."if 10 guys think it's ok to hang out with one Nazi, they just became 11 Nazis". Stay hopeful. :)

I find it amusing that you said "maybe we didn't believe one person could do that much damage"? You must be referring to the former President Obama? He and his Democratic party is the reason this hatred has now boiled over. I'm certain I didn't, and you didn't either, see this loathing and tearing down of the confederate statues and monuments when Obama was in office. Very few, if any, white supremacists said or did anything like the Black Lives Matter or Antifa are doing today.